VAWnet News Blog

The thing about rape culture is that it shapes our language about sexual assault. Problematic comments may not even be explicitly about rape – comments that reflect attitudes about homophobia, ableism, racism, or any other form of oppression still perpetuate rape culture.

Prevention work looks so different across all cultures but efforts to respond to diverse communities and community needs are so few and far between.

For some trauma survivors, engaging in tattooing can be a healing practice, an opportunity for changing their self-image or relationship with their bodies.

Preventing a serious and widespread epidemic like sexual assault can feel daunting – even impossible at times. The attitudes and norms that allow sexual violence to persist are so ingrained in our culture. But the more individuals get involved and use their voices to shift cultural norms, the closer we get to a world free of sexual violence.

For #TeenDVMonth, this TAQ explores the importance of embracing intergenerational activism to realize real social transformation. It highlights ways to truly work in partnership with youth, challenging adult advocates to examine the ways our own movement spaces can marginalize youth and to be open to the possibility that there are new and different ways to move forward.

I resisted therapy until I was well into full-fledged adulthood, at which point I had earned my masters degree in social work and felt qualified enough to engage others in the counseling and coaching process. What I didn’t know then was how powerful self-discovery can be to personal empowerment (the process of gaining control over one’s own life), and to the journey of healing and resilience.